Representative Hubbard (MA - D) : Reforming Healthcare
Healthcare in the United States Currently, health care in the U.S. is a very controversial issue. It has been the subject of many debates, documentaries, and CNN specials. Why is it such an important issue right now?
Health care is something that affects every American. It does not matter if you are in middle school or if you are a retired senior citizen because nothing can guarantee you perfect health. Therefore, you need to have some type of health care for when you become extremely ill on your deathbed or if you just have the flu.
Health problems and sicknesses are inevitable so it is quite shocking to hear that 45 million people in the United States are uninsured and there is about an equal number of people who are underinsured.
The U.S. is the only industrialized and wealthy nation that does not have a Universal Health Care system.
Why are 45 million people uninsured? Everyone can get sick so shouldn’t everyone have access to health care?
Health care in the United States is extremely expensive
U.S. spends $2.3 trillion per year on healthcare.
Expensive health care à expensive coverage through either public or private insurance companies
The average private insurance premium increased by double-digit percentage points on average from 2000-2005
The percentage of businesses providing health insurance benefits to their employees decreased about 10% from 2000 – 2005
Private insurance companies want to make a profit. To make a profit they want cover people with very little risk.
Private insurance companies often object people who want insurance and who can pay for insurance if they have a pre- existing condition. If you have a pre- existing condition, you are a risk to the insurance company from making a profit.
Your pre- existing condition may need more health care, which means you will pay higher insurance. If you cannot pay higher insurance or if just have too much associated risk then your insurance company can deny you coverage.
In the U.S., 18,000 people die every year because they do not have health insurance.
What has occurred recently that has made more people aware of the health care problems in the U.S.? ·Sicko is a documentary made by Michael Moore. Moore exposes the truth behind the U.S. health care system and insurance companies and compares it to the heath care systems of England, Canada, and France. In Sicko, Moore strongly criticizes the U.S. government and it’s for profit health insurance and pharmaceutical industry. More also explains the history of the U.S. health care systems and shows the personal and traumatic experiences people have had with the U.S. health care system. The Big picture: The U.S. spends about $2.3 trillion per year on healthcare. The amount the US spends on health care highly exceeds other countries like Switzerland, Germany, France, Canada, Australia, Japan, and the United Kingdom. The following graph shows the percentage of Gross Domestic Product that was spent on health care in 2005. The U.S. economy is measured by Gross Domestic Product which is everything produced in the U.S.As you can see, the U.S. spent 15.3% of their GDP on healthcare. This is extremely high when compared to other countries like Canada who spent 9.8% of their GDP in 2005 on healthcare. Total Spending on Health Care in 2005 Geewilikers! The U.S. sure does spend a lot of money on health care. But, $2.3 trillion may not be that much because the U.S. does have the best health care…right? Well, it would seem that the more money you invest in something the more you are going to get in return. Unfortunately, this is not the case for the health care system in the U.S. but rather it is the opposite. According to the World Health Organization, the overall performance of the U.S. health care system ranks 37 out of 191 countries. In addition, the U.S. life expectancy at birth rate, which is a very common way to measure health status, is far behind that of other industrialized nations. . Life Expectancy at Birth – 2004 to 2005
If you’re completely enthralled and eager to learn more check out this power point on healthcare in the US made by the American Medical Student Association. Health Care Around the World Universal Health Care ensures that all citizens of a country have access to affordable health care regardless of their health or financial condition through government funding. The following world map shows the countries with and without universal health care. As you can see, most countries have some type of universal health care and those who do not are attempting universal health care.
England:
The National Health Service was developed in 1948 to ensure that every citizen of the United Kingdom has access to health care.
World Health Organization for health attainment - 14
World Health Organization overall ranking – 18
United States:
Entrepreneurial system based on private and public insurance companies. The U.S. health care system is designed to make money.
World Health Organization overall ranking – 37
World Health Organization ranking for health attainment - 24
Reforming Healthcare Today What has the federal government recently done to resolve the problems associated with health care and health insurance?
H.R. 676, “The United States National Health Insurance Act,” or the “Expanded & Improved Medicare For All”: H.R. 676 was introduced into the House of Representatives by Congressman John Conyers (D- MI- 14th). As of January 22, 2008, the HR 676 bill has 89 democrat sponsors. The main parts of the bill are summarized below by the AMSA:
“Establishes the United States National Health Insurance (USNHI) Program to provide all individuals residing in the United States and in U.S. territories with free health care that includes all medically necessary care, such as primary care and prevention, prescription drugs, emergency care, and mental health services.
Gives patients the freedom to choose physicians and institutions.
Prohibits a private health insurer from selling health insurance coverage that duplicates the benefits provided under this Act, but allows such insurers to sell benefits that are not medically necessary, such as cosmetic surgery benefits.
Sets forth methods to pay hospitals and health professionals for services, such as global budgets for hospitals and fee-for-service reimbursement for office-care
Establishes the USNHI Trust Fund to finance the Program. Funds will come from (1) from existing sources of Government revenues for health care; (2) by increasing personal income taxes on the top 5% income earners; (3) by instituting a progressive excise tax on payroll and self-employment income; and (4) by instituting a small tax on stock and bond transactions.
Requires the Program to give first priority in retraining and job placement and unemployment benefits to individuals whose jobs are eliminated due to elimination of private health insurance companies.
Establishes a National Board of Universal Quality and Access to provide advice on quality, access, and affordability.”
American Medical Student Association is an association that is a strong advocate for health care for everyone that is affordable and of quality. They advocate for a national health insurance program that would insure everyone with health care. The AMSA also wants to educate others about the benefits and common misconceptions of universal health care. AMSA supports the organizations California Alliance Legislative Action for Universal Health Care and the Citizens Alliance for National Health Insurance. AMSA also supports H.R. 676 bill also known as “The United States National Health Insurance Act,”
or the “Expanded & Improved Medicare For All”. Where do the presidential candidates stand on health care?
Hillary Clinton has made reforming health care one of her main priorities since she was first lady when she unsuccessfully proposed the Clinton Health Care Plan in 1993. Clinton’s current health care plan for the U.S. if she becomes presidents vows to make health care "affordable, available, and reliable". To make health care affordable, Clinton’s health care plan will offer tax credits to working families to help them pay for health insurance. Also, health insurance will be available to everyone, if they wish to have health insurance, because insurance companies will not be allowed to deny people coverage if they have a pre existing condition or charge them more if they have a pre existing condition.
Barack Obama wants to make "quality, affordable, and reliable" health care for everyone. Obama wants to make health care available to everyone under a new national health plan. This plan would give the same health benefits that are available to members of Congress to all Americans. He also wants to make U.S. heath care system more modern and advance to lower costs. Obama also wants to invest money into fighting new initiatives which would support Americans with diabetes, fight AIDS worldwide, improve mental health care, support Americans with autism, reduce risks of mercury pollution, protect children from lead poisoning, and support Americans with disabilities.
John McCain’s health care plan is about "competition and affordability". McCain believes the problems with the American health care system is not from the government or insurance companies but because it is not “responsive to the needs of Americans”. He does not believe in a universal health care system.
Questions to answer:
How many people are not insured today?
Why are they not insured?
What role does the federal govt. play in health insurance? (brief timeline)
Start with the overview. Then look at the discussion guide which gives you an overview of three policy options when it comes to reforming health care. You can also check out the fact file which will have some good information included.
This may be too specific for what you're looking for right now, but the states (those testing cases for democracy!) have been working on their own initiatives to insure the uninsured. You can find out more about their proposals here: http://www.allhealth.org/briefing_detail.asp?bi=106
Representative Hubbard (MA - D) : Reforming Healthcare
Healthcare in the United States
Currently, health care in the U.S. is a very controversial issue. It has been the subject of many debates, documentaries, and CNN specials. Why is it such an important issue right now?
Why are 45 million people uninsured? Everyone can get sick so shouldn’t everyone have access to health care?
What has occurred recently that has made more people aware of the health care problems in the U.S.?
· Sicko is a documentary made by Michael Moore. Moore exposes the truth behind the U.S. health care system and insurance companies and compares it to the heath care systems of England, Canada, and France. In Sicko, Moore strongly criticizes the U.S. government and it’s for profit health insurance and pharmaceutical industry. More also explains the history of the U.S. health care systems and shows the personal and traumatic experiences people have had with the U.S. health care system.
The Big picture:
The U.S. spends about $2.3 trillion per year on healthcare. The amount the US spends on health care highly exceeds other countries like Switzerland, Germany, France, Canada, Australia, Japan, and the United Kingdom. The following graph shows the percentage of Gross Domestic Product that was spent on health care in 2005. The U.S. economy is measured by Gross Domestic Product which is everything produced in the U.S. As you can see, the U.S. spent 15.3% of their GDP on healthcare. This is extremely high when compared to other countries like Canada who spent 9.8% of their GDP in 2005 on healthcare.
Total Spending on Health Care in 2005
Geewilikers! The U.S. sure does spend a lot of money on health care. But, $2.3 trillion may not be that much because the U.S. does have the best health care…right?
Well, it would seem that the more money you invest in something the more you are going to get in return. Unfortunately, this is not the case for the health care system in the U.S. but rather it is the opposite. According to the World Health Organization, the overall performance of the U.S. health care system ranks 37 out of 191 countries. In addition, the U.S. life expectancy at birth rate, which is a very common way to measure health status, is far behind that of other industrialized nations.
.
Life Expectancy at Birth – 2004 to 2005
If you’re completely enthralled and eager to learn more check out this power point on healthcare in the US made by the American Medical Student Association.
Health Care Around the World
Universal Health Care ensures that all citizens of a country have access to affordable health care regardless of their health or financial condition through government funding. The following world map shows the countries with and without universal health care. As you can see, most countries have some type of universal health care and those who do not are attempting universal health care.
England:
United States:
Reforming Healthcare Today
What has the federal government recently done to resolve the problems associated with health care and health insurance?
American Medical Student Association is an association that is a strong advocate for health care for everyone that is affordable and of quality. They advocate for a national health insurance program that would insure everyone with health care. The AMSA also wants to educate others about the benefits and common misconceptions of universal health care. AMSA supports the organizations California Alliance Legislative Action for Universal Health Care and the Citizens Alliance for National Health Insurance. AMSA also supports H.R. 676 bill also known as “The United States National Health Insurance Act,”
or the “Expanded & Improved Medicare For All”.
Where do the presidential candidates stand on health care?
Questions to answer:
Resources